Feedback loop in mobile damage assessment and claims processing

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods provide for an automated system for analyzing damage and processing claims associated with an insured item, such as a vehicle. An enhanced claims processing server may analyze damage associated with the insured item using photos/video transmitted to the server from a user device (e.g., a mobile device). The mobile device may receive feedback from the server regarding the acceptability of submitted photos/video, and if the server determines that any of the submitted photos/video is unacceptable, the mobile device may capture additional photos/video until all of the data are deemed acceptable. To aid in damage analysis, the server may also interface with various internal and external databases storing reference images of undamaged items and cost estimate information for repairing previously analyzed damages to similar items. Further still, the server may generate a payment for compensating a claimant for repair of the insured item.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED-APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/587,620, filed Aug. 16, 2012, which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for analyzingdamage to an insured item such as a vehicle and processing an insuranceclaim related to the analyzed damage.

BACKGROUND

Conventional insurance claims processing is a complex process thatstarts with a first notification of loss related to an insured item.Upon notification of loss, the claim may be routed to multiple claimsadjusters that analyze different aspects of the damage associated withthe insured item in order to determine whether compensation for the lossis appropriate.

In general, conventional claims adjustment can involve paperworkprocessing, telephone calls, and potentially face-to-face meetingsbetween claimant and adjuster. In addition, a significant amount of timecan elapse between a first notice of loss from the claimant and thefinal settlement of the claim.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the present disclosure inorder to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of thedisclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure.It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of thedisclosure or to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The followingsummary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplifiedform as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below.

Aspects of the disclosure involve a streamlined and efficient processfor claims management and disclose methods, computer-readable media, andapparatuses for automating the processing and settling of claims relatedto an insured item. A mobile device may transmit data (e.g., images,video, etc.) related to damage associated with an insured item to anenhanced claims processing server. The enhanced claims processing servermay manage analysis of damage associated with the insured item andsettlement of a claim related to the damage.

In another aspect of the disclosure, an enhanced claims processingserver may analyze damage data received from a mobile device to generatea repair cost estimate for repairing the insured item.

Further aspects of the disclosure may be provided in a computer-readablemedium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed,cause a computer, user terminal, or other apparatus to at least performone or more of the processes described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

All descriptions are exemplary and explanatory only and are not intendedto restrict the disclosure, as claimed. The accompanying drawings, whichare incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification,illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative operating environment in which variousaspects of the disclosure may be implemented.

FIG. 2 shows a system of network devices and servers that may be used toimplement the processes and functions of certain aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart for an automated damage assessment process inaccordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a series of initial display screens displayed when a userstarts a damage assessment and claims processing application stored on amobile device in accordance with certain aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5a shows a first series of display screens displayed on a mobiledevice as a user takes photos of a damaged vehicle in accordance withcertain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5b shows a second series of display screens displayed on a mobiledevice as a user takes photos of a damaged vehicle in accordance withcertain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a series of display screens displayed on a mobile devicefor enabling a user to delete photos that have already been taken inaccordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows a series of display screens displayed on a mobile devicefor enabling a user to submit photos for review by an enhanced claimsprocessing server, in accordance with certain aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a series of display screens displayed on a mobile devicefor enabling a user to receive feedback from an enhanced claimsprocessing server regarding previously submitted photos, in accordancewith certain aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, methods,computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed through whichinsurance claims may be settled through an enhanced automated process.In certain aspects, when an enhanced claims processing server receivesdata regarding an insured item (e.g., a vehicle, etc.) from a computingdevice (e.g., a mobile device), the server processes the data andmanages settlement of a claim associated with the insured item.

The automated process may utilize various hardware components (e.g.,processors, communication servers, memory devices, sensors, etc.) andrelated computer algorithms to generate image data related to damageassociated with an insured item, determine if the image data conforms toa predetermined set of criteria, analyze the image data to assess lossassociated with the insured item, and determine if a payment isappropriate to the claimant as compensation for assessed loss.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an enhanced claims processingserver 101 (e.g., a computer server) in communication system 100 thatmay be used according to an illustrative embodiment of the disclosure.The server 101 may have a processor 103 for controlling overalloperation of the enhanced claims processing server 101 and itsassociated components, including RAM 105, ROM 107, input/output module109, and memory 115.

I/O 109 may include a microphone, keypad, touch screen, and/or stylusthrough which a user of enhanced claims processing server 101 mayprovide input, and may also include one or more of a speaker forproviding audio output and a video display device for providing textual,audiovisual, and/or graphical output. Software may be stored withinmemory 115 to provide instructions to processor 103 for enabling device101 to perform various functions. For example, memory 115 may storesoftware used by the device 101, such as an operating system 117,application programs 119, and an associated database 121. Processor 103and its associated components may allow the device 101 to run a seriesof computer-readable instructions to analyze image data depicting damageto an insured item (e.g., vehicle, etc.). Processor 103 may determinethe general location of damage associated with the vehicle by analyzingimages of the vehicle and comparing these images with reference imagesof a similar vehicle with no damage or with similar damage. In addition,processor 103 may assess the loss associated with the damaged vehicleand transmit terms for settling an insurance claim related to the lossto a user of a mobile device.

The server 101 may operate in a networked environment supportingconnections to one or more remote computers, such as terminals 141 and151. The terminals 141 and 151 may be personal computers or servers thatinclude many or all of the elements described above relative to theserver 101. Also, terminal 141 and/or 151 may be data stores for storingimage data of insured items that have been analyzed by the enhancedclaims processing server 101 in the past. In yet other embodiments,terminals 141 and 151 may represent mobile devices with built-in camerasfor capturing image data associated with a damaged item.

The network connections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local area network(LAN) 125 and a wide area network (WAN) 129, but may also include othernetworks. When used in a LAN networking environment, the server 101 isconnected to the LAN 125 through a network interface or adapter 123.When used in a WAN networking environment, the server 101 may include amodem 127 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN129, such as the Internet 131. It will be appreciated that the networkconnections shown are illustrative and other means of establishing acommunications link between the computers may be used. The existence ofany of various well-known protocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTPand the like is presumed.

Additionally, an application program 119 used by the enhanced claimsprocessing server 101 according to an illustrative embodiment of thedisclosure may include computer executable instructions for invokingfunctionality related to calculating an appropriate payment for assesseddamage associated with an insured item.

Enhanced claims processing server 101 and/or terminals 141 or 151 mayalso be mobile terminals including various other components, such as abattery, speaker, camera, and antennas (not shown).

The disclosure is operational with numerous other general purpose orspecial purpose computing system environments or configurations.Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/orconfigurations that may be suitable for use with the disclosure include,but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-heldor laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems,set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs,minicomputers, mainframe computers, and distributed computingenvironments that include any of the above systems or devices, and thelike.

The disclosure may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines,programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that performparticular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Thedisclosure may also be practiced in distributed computing environmentswhere tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linkedthrough a communications network. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotecomputer storage media including non-transitory memory storage devices,such as a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), and read only memory(ROM).

Referring to FIG. 2, a system 200 for implementing methods according tothe present disclosure is shown. As illustrated, system 200 may includeone or more network devices 201. Devices 201 may be local or remote, andare connected by one or more communications links 202 to computernetwork 203 that is linked via communications links 205 to enhancedclaims processing server 101. In certain embodiments, network devices201 may run different algorithms used by server 101 for analyzing imagedata showing damage associated with an insured item, or, in otherembodiments, network devices 201 may be data stores for storingreference image data of insured items. In yet other embodiments, networkdevices 201 may represent mobile user devices configured to captureimage data (e.g., via a camera, etc.) associated with a damaged insureditem and to transmit the image data to server 101. In system 200,enhanced claims processing server 101 may be any suitable server,processor, computer, or data processing device, or combination of thesame.

Computer network 203 may be any suitable computer network including theInternet, an intranet, a wide-area network (WAN), a local-area network(LAN), a wireless network, a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, aframe relay network, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, avirtual private network (VPN), or any combination of any of the same.Communications links 202 and 205 may be any communications linkssuitable for communicating between network devices 201 and server 101,such as network links, dial-up links, wireless links, hard-wired links,etc.

The steps that follow in the Figures may be implemented by one or moreof the components in FIGS. 1 and 2 and/or other components, includingother computing devices.

In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, a user (e.g., a claimant)of a mobile device (e.g., mobile phone, personal digital assistant(PDA), etc.) may take a variety of photos associated with damage to aninsured vehicle. The photos may include wide shots of the damagedvehicle, pictures of an identification number associated with thedamaged vehicle (e.g., a vehicle identification number (VIN), etc.),and/or multiple angles/close-up shots of the damage associated with theinsured vehicle.

Once the user is satisfied that the appropriate photos have been taken,the user may transmit the photos to an enhanced claims processing server101. The enhanced claims processing server 101 may be configured toreceive and analyze the photos to determine if they meet a predefinedset of criteria (e.g., not too blurry, correct angles, etc.) forcompleteness, accuracy, etc. If the photos do not meet the minimumcriteria, server 101 may transmit a message (e.g., via a feedback loop),informing the mobile device that alternative and/or additional photosmust be taken. This process of assuring that the photos are compliantfor further analysis may be repeated until the user of device 201 hascomplied with all of the rules set forth by enhanced claims processingserver 101. Server 101 may then analyze the photos to generate anoutput, including a cost estimate to repair the damage associated withthe insured vehicle and/or to replace a damaged part of the insuredvehicle. In some aspects, to generate this output, server 101 mayanalyze the photos and determine the location of damage (e.g., exteriorparts, etc.), extent of damage, and/or the cost of parts/labor to fixthe damage.

In some instances, depending on the amount of damage to the insuredvehicle, the cost estimate may represent the cost of replacing theinsured vehicle itself. Along with the cost estimate forrepair/replacement of the insured vehicle, server 101 may also outputvarious claims documents, including disclosures, brochures, guarantees,etc. If appropriate, server 101 may transmit a payment to the userand/or to an account associated with the user, for the cost of repairingthe damage or replacing a part. In addition, server 101 may inform theuser approximately how long it will take to repair/replace the insuredvehicle.

In some aspects, damage inspection and appraisal in the automated claimsprocessing scheme discussed herein may be completed in thirty minutes orless.

Although embodiments of the disclosure discussed herein relate to aninsured vehicle analyzed by enhanced claims processing server 101, oneof ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other types of insureditems, including homes, may be employed with a similar scheme.

In certain aspects, the use of server 101 may aid in cutting down timebetween a first notice of loss and settlement of the claim (e.g.,real-time settlement of a claim) associated with the loss (e.g., via apayment and/or information regarding repair/replacement of an insureditem). In addition, because the methods discussed herein are automatedand involve minimal and/or no involvement from claims adjusters, lesstime and money may be spent to transport these adjusters to inspectionlocations. The automated nature of this process may also create theopportunity for remote human inspections of damage associated withinsured items.

Also, the technologies used in the claims adjustment processesimplemented by server 101 may aid in attracting technology savvyconsumers to an entity (e.g., an insurance company) managing server 101.

FIG. 3 shows an automated damage assessment process 300 in accordancewith at least one aspect of the present disclosure. In certain aspects,an application related to damage assessment and claims processing may bedownloaded onto a mobile device (e.g., iPhone™, Android™, etc.)associated with a user (e.g., a customer of an insurance company) tofacilitate one or more steps of the process in FIG. 3.

The process of FIG. 3 may start out at step 301 where a user (e.g., acustomer) associated with an entity managing enhanced claims processingserver 101 (e.g., insurance company) may enter a claim number (e.g., anumber related to damage associated with an insured vehicle, etc.) intoa damage assessment and claims processing application running on amobile device (e.g., network device 201). To generate a claim number, aclaimant may contact an entity managing enhanced claims processingserver 101 (e.g., an insurance company, etc.) with a first notice ofloss (FNOL). The claimant may contact the insurance company in anynumber of ways, including via phone, by email, via a company website,etc. As part of the FNOL, the claimant may provide basic identifyingand/or validating information (e.g., name, age, claim number, etc.) andvehicle information, including the make, model, and year of manufacture.The claimant may also provide the general areas of damage to the vehicleand any other relevant details (e.g., condition of glass, undercarriage, engine, wheels, airbags, etc. associated with the vehicle). Inone embodiment, this information may be provided from a remote location(e.g., location of an accident, claimant's home, etc.) using anapplication loaded onto a smart phone (e.g., iPhone™, Android™, etc.).

The mobile device may then transmit the entered claim number and relatedinformation to enhanced claims processing server 101. The process maythen move to step 303 where server 101 may determine if the claim numberreceived in step 301 is valid. If server 101 determines that the claimnumber is not valid, then server 101 may transmit a message to themobile device, stating that the claim number is invalid in step 305. Theuser may then enter another claim number (step 301).

If server 101 determines that the claim number is valid, the process maymove to step 307 where server 101 may send the user instructions of thetypes of image data (e.g., photos, video, etc.) that should be capturedof damage associated with the insured vehicle. It should also be notedthat in some embodiments server 101 may not receive a claim number andmay proceed in providing user instructions on the types of image datathat should be captured without receiving a claim number. The user mayreceive instructions on various types of photos/video, includingphotos/video of the entire vehicle, VIN door tag, and/or the damagedareas. In some aspects, the user may capture image data related to atleast two different angles of the damage for each panel (e.g., hood,fender, door, bumper, etc.) based on an initial claim description.

When the user of the mobile device receives these instructions, the usermay use a camera associated with the mobile device to take the photosand transmit these photos to the server 101. The user may be allowed topreview each photo before selecting the image. Once a photo has beenselected, the image may be shown on a display associated with the mobiledevice under a photo type (e.g., a photo of the entire vehicle, VIN doortag, and/or damaged area). If the user is not satisfied with any photo,the user may delete the photo by selecting it. In some aspects, the usermay annotate the photos (e.g., by drawing a line from one end of thedent to the other, etc.) prior to transmitting them to server 101. Inyet other embodiments, server 101 may itself annotate any receivedphotos/video.

In some embodiments, any approved photo may not be sent to server 101until all of the images have been captured. In some aspects, server 101may support a website interface through which photos may be uploaded bya user of a mobile device. Also, the use of multiple photos (e.g., viastereoscopic techniques), video (e.g., by walking around the vehicle togenerate a complete view), and/or three-dimensional photos/video mayassist in determining the depth of damage to a vehicle. In some aspects,determining the depth of damage may help in classifying the damage(e.g., a turbulent dent versus a dish dent). In addition, the degree ofdamage by area and depth may be automatically estimated through toolssimilar to ultrasound tools. Knowing the depth of damage may also assistin automatically determining the cost of repair or replacement. Inaddition, as the user is taking video/photos of damage associated withthe insured vehicle, a claims adjuster associated with an entitymanaging server 101 (e.g., an insurance company) may interface with theuser in real-time (e.g., via phone, email, etc.) as the photos are beingsent to the adjuster and/or as the video is being streamed to theadjuster and describe to the user the photos/video that still need to betaken and/or where to place a camera as the photos/video are captured.

After server 101 receives image data transmitted from a mobile device instep 309, server 101 (or an individual/group associated with the entitymanaging server 101) may determine if the photos are acceptable in step311. For instance, server 101 may determine that the photos are tooblurry and/or that the photos do not capture the correct angles toclearly show damage associated with the insured vehicle. As an example,server 101 may employ a bar code scanning mechanism and/or an opticalcharacter recognition (OCR) system for detecting the VIN from asubmitted photo. In other aspects, the mobile device itself may use abar code scanning mechanism and/or an OCR system for determining the VINnumber. In this example, if the VIN cannot be detected from the photoand/or using these techniques, then the submitted photo may be deemed tobe unacceptable. If server 101 determines that that the photos are notacceptable, the process may move back to step 307 where the server 101may send the user instructions on what types of photos to take and/orwhat changes need to be made to the previously submitted photos. In yetother embodiments, a dispatcher associated with an entity managingserver 101 (e.g., an insurance company) may determine if submittedphotos are acceptable. In other embodiments, the mobile device mayitself determine if any given photo is blurry and/or inaccurate andprompt the user to retake the photo. In this aspect, the application fordamage assessment and claims processing running on the mobile device mayhave computer-executable instructions stored within a memory of themobile device for automatically detecting and/or rejecting a photo/videocaptured within a given category.

If server 101 determines that the photos are acceptable, server 101 mayattach the photos to the user's claim in a database associated withserver 101. Server 101 may also determine a damage estimate (e.g., anestimate for repairing and/or replacing any damaged parts) afteranalyzing the photos in step 313 based on predefined rules. The damageestimate may be generated by comparing the photos submitted by themobile device with photos of similarly damaged vehicles or with photosof non-damaged vehicles of similar make/model. To perform thiscomparison, server 101 may access a database (e.g., network device 201)of photos of vehicles with various types of damage and/or vehicles withno damage. To initially populate the database with photos for later use,each user may be required to upload various photos of a vehicle uponpurchase of the vehicle. Also, as server 101 analyzes recently submittedphotos, previously uploaded photos of a given vehicle may be used todetermine any pre-existing damage on the vehicle. Once database 201includes photos/video from many cases of vehicle damage, server 101 maydetermine a damage estimate for a new case based on the prior cases.

Server 101 may not need to build a new damage estimate piece-by-piecefor a given damaged vehicle. In this regard, server 101 (or anindividual/group associated with the entity managing server 101) maygenerate a new damage estimate based on a holistic view of a damagedvehicle. Over time, server 101 may build a database (e.g., networkdevice 201) of specific damage templates (e.g., damages to more than onepart of a vehicle that are commonly associated with one another) andestimated/actual costs for repairing damages associated with thesetemplates. Once this database has been built, damage estimatesassociated with subsequently analyzed vehicles may be generated from aholistic view of the vehicles by accessing information within thehistorical database.

For instance, if a first type of damage to the front bumper of a vehicleis commonly associated with a second type of damage to the headlights ofthe same vehicle and this damage template is associated with apredetermined repair cost in the database, server 101 may use thisrepair cost to generate a new estimate for subsequent vehicles thatexhibit damage similar to this damage template.

In one example, the damage estimates retrieved from the historicaldatabase may be adjusted based on differences associated with a currentcase. For instance, the damage estimate may be adjusted based on theaverage inflation rate (e.g., for parts, labor, etc.) between the dateat which the damage estimate within the historical database wasgenerated and the current date. In other embodiments, the damageestimate may be adjusted for small differences such as the make, model,and year of manufacture when the vehicle in the historical database andthe currently analyzed vehicle are compared. Similarly, the damageestimate may be adjusted based on differences in the precise damageassociated with the vehicle in the historical database and the damageassociated with the vehicle currently being analyzed. In yet otherexamples, the damage estimate may be adjusted based on the terms of aninsurance policy that covers damage to the insured vehicle currentlybeing analyzed. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand thatany number of factors may be considered when adjusting the damageestimate retrieved for vehicles stored in the historical database tomore accurately reflect a damage estimate for a currently analyzedvehicle.

In other aspects, when a vehicle exhibits more than one type of damage,server 101 may access the historical database multiple times (one foreach type of damage) and then add one or more interaction terms to thesum of the cost estimates for each type of damage. For instance,extending the example above of damage to a front bumper and to theheadlights of a vehicle, server 101 may generate a first damage estimatefor repairing the front bumper and a second damage estimate forrepairing the headlights. Server 101 may then add these two damageestimates to generate a total damage estimate.

In this embodiment, server 101 may also calculate an interaction term(which may be a positive or a negative value) that represents either anincreased (e.g., because the damages taken collectively introduce morecomplexity and are thus more expensive to repair than if handledindividually) or decreased (e.g., because the damages taken collectivelyhave overlapping repair procedures and are thus less expensive to repairthan if handled individually) cost of repairing the vehicle when both ofthese types of damages occur together. The effective total damageestimate may then be the sum of the total damage estimate and theinteraction term.

One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that a given damagetemplate may be built based on any number of specific damagetypes/locations. In addition, server 101 may generate any number ofinteraction terms for a given analysis. For instance, if a damageestimate is based on damage to three parts of a vehicle, server 101 maygenerate interaction terms that relate to increased/decreased costassociated with repair to the following part groups: the first twoparts, the first and third parts, the second and third parts, and allthree parts at once. In other embodiments, server 101 may generate aninteraction term for only some of the damaged parts.

In certain aspects, server 101 may also query the claimant with regardsto the type of third party service provider (e.g., repair shop, etc.)they would prefer after damage analysis and claims processing iscomplete.

In other aspects, exterior damage associated with the vehicle may beused to predict (e.g., via predictive modeling using the database ofpast assessed exterior/interior damage for other similar cases, etc.)the likelihood of interior (e.g., mechanical, cabin, etc.) damage to thevehicle and/or potential difficulties in repairing the vehicle.

Once the image data has been analyzed, server 101 may includecomputer-executable instructions to recognize the extent of damage tovarious parts of the vehicle (e.g., chassis, etc.), including varioustypes of dents and edge damage, and to identify various parts of thevehicle.

In some aspects, the detection of damage to the vehicle may be based onobject recognition algorithms that compare images (e.g., comparing x, y,and z coordinates of each point on the images) of the vehicle inquestion to reference images of similar vehicles (e.g., same model,make, year of manufacture, etc.) with no damage. More specifically,server 101 may access a database of images storing the reference imagesof vehicles of various models and makes. By using objectrecognition/edge detection algorithms (e.g., involving blur filters,gray-scaling, custom algorithms, etc.), server 101 may determine wheredamage is located as well as the potential size/area of the damage.Server 101 may also access internal/external databases storing images,damage depth map information (e.g., from previously assessed analyses,etc.), and/or processed claims reports from damaged vehicles that server101 has assessed previously. In particular, server 101 may accessimages/depth map information from previously assessed damaged vehiclesfor use as a guidepost in assessing the damage of a new vehicle. If noreference information (e.g., data, images) exists, axis symmetryinformation may also be used to identify possible irregularities and/ordamage.

In some aspects, the algorithm employed by server 101 may use acomparison of an image of a damaged vehicle with an image of anundamaged version of the same vehicle to “subtract out” and isolate thedamaged area of a vehicle. If an exact replica of an undamaged vehiclecorresponding to a damaged vehicle under study is not available for thiscomparison, server 101 may further use various additional imageprocessing algorithms, including blurring filters, etc. to detect adamaged portion of a vehicle.

In additional aspects, server 101 may grayscale all image data to makeprocessing faster. Further, edge filters may be applied to both theimage data from the damaged vehicle and its corresponding referenceimage data so that the edges of a damaged area may be “subtracted out”and identified in the image data of the damaged vehicle. Once thedamaged area has been identified in the image data, server 101 mayfurther process the damaged area to sharpen the area, to make the edgesmore prominent, and to fill any missing links found in the edges.Afterwards, server 101 may color, texture, and/or otherwise “fill in”the damaged area surrounded by the edges and extract the damaged areafrom the surrounding image data. Once the damaged area has beenisolated, server 101 may calculate the precise area of the damage.

Similarly, server 101 may determine the depth of a damaged area (e.g.,via stereoscopic methods, etc.) and may analyze raw depth data tofurther investigate points of interest (e.g., a point that has a muchlarger depth than surrounding points, etc.). Using this analysis, thedamaged area may be further characterized (e.g., a dented area may bedetected and if, for example, the general slope of the dent is high, thedent may be characterized as deep and rounded whereas if the slope islow, the dent may be characterized as shallow.)

In addition, if the server 101 retrieves image data or claims reportsassociated with a similar or the same previously analyzed vehicle thathas similar or the same types of damage (e.g., as a result of a similaraccident to a similar vehicle or part, etc.) as a vehicle currentlybeing analyzed, server 101 may use a damage analysis or cost estimate ofidentifying/repairing the damage or replacing a damaged part of thepreviously analyzed vehicle to generate a damage analysis/cost estimatefor the currently analyzed vehicle. In other words, server 101 mayperform one or more database queries to match characteristics of thecurrent analysis with previous analyses. For instance, the queries mayseek to match the size, depth, and location of a dent on a currentvehicle with a similar dent on a vehicle with a similar chassisconfiguration, make, model, and year of manufacture. For instance,consider a case where the vehicle in question is a new model that hasnot been analyzed before by server 101. In this scenario, server 101 mayattempt to match the vehicle currently being analyzed with its closestmatch, which in this case may be a similar model from the previous yearwith the same chassis configuration (e.g., a twin chassisconfiguration).

In matching a vehicle currently being analyzed with one that has beenpreviously analyzed, server 101 may assign a confidence factor to thematch. Server 101 may assign the highest confidence factor (e.g., aconfidence factor of 100%) to a comparison between the exact same typesof vehicles (e.g., cars of the same make, model, year of manufacture,etc.) having the exact same type of damage (e.g., a predetermined typeof dent, etc.). For instance, a comparison between vehicles with twocompletely different types of damage would have a confidence factor of0%. As the similarities between the currently analyzed vehicle andpreviously analyzed vehicles are reduced, server 101 may assign a lowerconfidence factor to the comparison. For instance, output drawn fromcomparisons between vehicles of the same make and model but withdifferent years of manufacture may be associated with a slightly lowerconfidence factor than 100%. In some aspects, confidence factors maydecrease further when vehicles of different models and years ofmanufacture (e.g., vehicles with different chassis configurations, trimline configurations, etc.) but the same make are compared. In oneembodiment, server 101 may assign a threshold confidence factor (e.g.,70%, etc.) below which output generated by a comparison performed byserver 101 may not be considered reliable. If the confidence factorassociated with a comparison between two vehicles falls below thisthreshold and there is no reliable comparison within the database,server 101 may then use physical details of the damage (e.g., size,location, area, etc.) to provide output such as a cost estimate fordamage repair/replacement and/or the amount of time required forrepair/replacement.

Server 101 may also use stored data to determine appropriate vendors forrepairing/replacing the vehicle and the amount of time forrepair/replacement. The wait time for repair/replacement may depend onvarious factors, including the size (e.g., area, depth, etc.),classification (e.g., turbulent dent, etc.), and location of the damage.

In addition, server 101 may determine if parts nearby to damaged partsmay also need to be blended into the damaged area. In other words, if apart of the vehicle needs to be refinished (e.g., repainted) eitherbecause it is being replaced or repaired, parts within a predetermineddistance of the repaired/replaced part may need to be blended (e.g.,color-matched) to the repaired/replaced part.

In some aspects, server 101 may acquire the knowledge of all previousclaims processed by server 101, as well as the knowledge of humanadjusters, to accurately process future claims. In this way, server 101may use machine learning to evolve its cost and/or repair estimationprocedure based on past experience.

To estimate the cost and repair/replacement time associated with thedamage to the vehicle and to determine whether to recommend that thevehicle be replaced or repaired, server 101 may also consider theextent/severity of the damage (area, depth, location, classification,etc.). For instance, damage to a character line (e.g., edge of a doorassociated with the vehicle) would be more difficult (e.g., moreexpensive and/or more time-consuming, etc.) to repair than damage to amore central location on the vehicle. Server 101 may also consider theactual cash value and the salvage value of the vehicle and any relevantlocal, state, and national laws in this analysis. In some aspects,server 101 may generate a rough cost estimate of repairing the damagejust based on the extent of the damage; then server 101 may refine thisestimate by analyzing previous cost estimates provided by server 101and/or actual repair data received from third party service providers(e.g., repair shops, etc.) that have repaired similar vehicles withsimilar damage. In additional aspects, server 101 may generate a basiccost estimate by taking into account factors such as the number of hourspredicted for the repair, the labor rate, and the current marketconditions. In this aspect, server 101 may compare this basic costestimate with the cost of merely replacing the vehicle (e.g., a totalloss) or the damaged part within the vehicle and based on thecomparison, server 101 may recommend the cheaper option. These estimatesmay also be transmitted to existing platforms (e.g., Audatex®,Mitchell®, etc.) for comparison purposes.

If the analyzed damage to the vehicle is different from the damageindicated by the claimant during the FNOL, server 101 may query theclaimant as to the discrepancy. For instance, if the claimant initiallyprovided information relating to damage on the left side of the vehiclebut server 101 discovers that the primary damage occurred on the rightside, server 101 may question the claimant as to when the damageoccurred (e.g., was the damage due to a previous incident or preexistingcondition?, is the claimant being truthful?, etc.). Server 101 may alsoask the claimant to sign a statement as to the truth of the informationprovided. The claimant may have the option of answering the questions asthey come up or the questions may be queued until the server 101 hasfinished processing the image analysis of the vehicle. If discrepanciesbetween the claimant's answers and the analyzed damage to the vehiclecontinue to exist, server 101 may request the involvement of a humanclaims adjuster.

In other embodiments, a technician associated with an entity managingserver 101 (e.g., an insurance company) may analyze the photos todetermine a damage estimate. Also, in certain aspects, the processdiscussed herein may allow a user to upload photos/video that fall intoalternative and/or additional categories (e.g., photos for each vehiclepart, etc.).

As part of the image/video damage analysis, server 101 may ask the userto compare damage associated with the insured vehicle to damage depictedin a series of photos/video sent by server 101. In other embodiments,server 101 may request that the user classify the type of damageassociated with the insured vehicle. For instance, server 101 may askthe user questions such as, “Does the damage to your vehicle look morelike the damage shown in photo A or photo B?” Server 101 may ask anynumber of questions until server 101 has reached a clear understandingof all the damage to the insured vehicle and a damage estimate can becalculated. In some ways, this process may allow the user to estimatethe damage to the insured vehicle.

As an example, consider a scenario where a driver's side door is dentedand the driver's side window is cracked in a four-door sedan. Assumethat the damage is centrally located on the driver's side window anddoor. Once server 101 receives a valid claim number related to thisdamaged sedan, server 101 may transmit, to a user device, one or moreimages depicting various types of damage to the driver's side window anddoor of four-door sedans that have been previously analyzed and/orstored in memory. The first image or images transmitted to the userdevice may be based on previously submitted information regarding anaccident that caused the damage or any other type of input provided by aclaimant and/or related parties. Thus, the first image or imagestransmitted to the user device may not depict damage that preciselyconforms to the damage of the sedan currently being analyzed. Forinstance, if two images are initially transmitted to the user device,one of the images may depict damage to the corner of the driver's sidewindow and door and the other image may depict damage that is locatedcloser to the center. In this scenario, a user of the user device (e.g.,a mobile phone), upon analyzing the two images, may select the imagethat depicts the centrally-located damage. The mobile device may thentransmit the selection to server 101, and server 101 may use thisinformation to generate a damage estimate.

Alternatively, suppose that both images initially transmitted fromserver 101 depict damage to the corner of the driver's side door andwindow in a four-door sedan. In this scenario, if both images areequally unrepresentative of the damage to the sedan in question, theuser may transmit a message to server 101, stating how the referenceimages are equally unrepresentative. In response to this message, server101 may transmit another image or images responsive to the informationprovided by the user in the message. Once again, the user may select oneor more images that most closely depict damage to the sedan in question.Suppose that, on the second pass, server 101 again transmits two imagesand that, in this instance, both images depict damage to four-doorsedans with centrally-located damage to the driver's side door andwindow. However, suppose that one of the images does not depict damagethat is as severe as that exhibited by the sedan in question. In thisscenario, the user may choose the image that depicts damage with theseverity level consistent with the damage to the sedan in question.

By iterating through multiple rounds of image analysis and data exchangebetween server 101 and a user device, server 101 may, with eachsuccessive round, determine more precisely the damage associated withthe sedan in question. When server 101 determines that the damage to thesedan has been fully characterized, server 101 may use the variousresponses provided by the user device to calculate a damage estimate forthe damage to the sedan and transmit a settlement based on thecalculated estimate.

In other embodiments, server 101 may transmit an insurance claim to aclaims adjuster for manual processing of the claim if server 101 cannotcalculate an accurate damage estimate after a predetermined number ofquestion/answer rounds.

In additional embodiments, the user may transmit audio (e.g., byspeaking into the mobile device, etc.) and/or an audio file thatincludes a description of what happened to cause the damage to thevehicle (e.g., the specifics of an accident, etc.). This audio/audiofile may be translated into text and incorporated into the photos/videoof damage and/or analyzed to determine if the damage matches anynarrative description provided by the user. Also, the user may transmita text file describing damage and/or an accident that caused the damage.In yet other embodiments, the user may capture and transmit the sound ofthe vehicle being started and/or the sound of the vehicle running toserver 101 (e.g., to determine if a muffler associated with the damagedvehicle is broken, etc.).

Based on the analysis and the damage estimate, server 101 may transmit aproposed settlement (e.g., cash compensation, etc.) for the assessedloss to the user of the mobile device in step 315. After the userreceives the proposed settlement, the user may notify server 101 whetheror not the proposed settlement is acceptable in step 317.

If the settlement terms are not acceptable, then the process may move tostep 319 where server 101 may transmit the settlement to a claimsadjuster for manual processing. If the settlement terms are acceptable,the process may move to step 321 where server 101 may transfer any fundsrelated to the assessed loss directly to a bank account associated withthe user.

In some aspects, users may provide feedback designed to evaluate theirexperience through process 300. This feedback may be used to improveprocess 300 for future users and may involve the use of surveys,questionnaires, email, etc.

In other aspects, server 101 may determine and/or transmit supplementaladjustments to an initial damage/repair estimate. For instance, server101 may determine that there is a 95% chance that repair option A mustbe performed, a 50% chance that additional repair option B must also beperformed, and a 10% chance that additional repair option C must also beperformed. When a repair shop examines the damage to a damaged vehicleand notices that there is less/additional damage, server 101 may usethis information to revise an initial damage estimate with asupplemental adjustment to the initial estimate. Also, in cases whereserver 101 predicts that there may be many supplemental adjustments(e.g., above a predetermined threshold number of supplementaladjustments) to the initial estimate of damage, a claims adjuster maymanually evaluate the damage and determine the likelihood of each of thesupplemental adjustments.

In addition, server 101 may provide the user with a list of repairfacilities for repairing the vehicle. Once the vehicle enters the repairprocess, messages may be pushed to the mobile device of the user toidentify where the vehicle is located is in the repair process (e.g.,which step of the repair process is the current step, etc.). Thesemessages may identify who is working on the vehicle and/or may includephotos/video of the vehicle as it is being repaired. The messages mayalso identify when the repair process may be completed.

In some aspects, some types of claims may be excluded from the automatedprocess illustrated in FIG. 3. These claims may include comprehensiveclaims, claims with injuries to any involved parties, claims involvingnon-drivable vehicles or air bag deployments, claims with lossdescriptions that include undercarriage/mechanical damage, claimsinvolving motorcycle and/or recreational vehicle (RV) losses, and claimsinvolving users that already have an estimate for damage associated withan insured vehicle.

FIGS. 4-8 show various display screens displayed to a user of a mobiledevice in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure.FIG. 4 shows a series of initial display screens displayed when a userstarts a damage assessment and claims processing application stored on amobile device (e.g., network device 201) in accordance with at least oneaspect of the present disclosure. Screen 401 may be the initial screenthat the user views upon starting the application. Screen 401 may allowthe user to enter a claim number to begin a damage assessment and claimsprocessing method. In certain aspects, the claim number may be used tocompare a damage estimate generated by analysis of photos submitted bythe user to a damage estimate generated manually by a claims adjusterusing more conventional claims adjustment techniques. Once a user entersa valid claim number, the mobile device may display screen 403, wherethe user is presented with photo instructions that explain to the userthe types of photos that should be taken. Screen 403 may includeinstructions on taking photos of the entire insured vehicle, VIN doortag, and any damaged areas of the insured vehicle. When a user pressesthe “Get Started” button 403 a on screen 403, the mobile device maydisplay screen 405, which allows a user to select and start taking anyof the types of photos listed in screen 403 (e.g., photos of the entirevehicle, VIN door tag, and/or damaged areas). The “Submit Photos” button405 a on screen 405 may be inactive until at least one photo of eachtype is taken by the user.

FIG. 5a shows a first series of display screens displayed on a mobiledevice as a user takes photos of a damaged vehicle in accordance with atleast one aspect of the present disclosure. In display screen 501, theuser may select to take a photo of the entire vehicle, the VIN door tag,and/or the specific damaged area(s). In the example of FIG. 5a , a userselects to take a photo of the entire vehicle. When a user selects oneof the photo categories in screen 501, screen 503 may allow the user toselect the “Capture Photo” button 503 a to start the camerafunctionality within the mobile device, the “Adding Existing” button 503b to choose a photo from the photo roll, and/or the “Cancel” button 503c to cancel out of the previous command.

Assuming that the user selects the “Capture Photo” button 503 a inscreen 503, the mobile device may display screen 505 where instructionsrelated to the current photo type (e.g., a wide view of the entirevehicle) may be overlaid on top of the camera. The user may select the“OK” button 505 a on screen 505 to close the overlay and cause displayof the camera screen 507. Camera screen 507 may include a camera shutterbutton 507 a (e.g., for taking a photo) and flash button 507 b (e.g.,for turning the camera flash on/off). The “Instructions” button 507 c onscreen 507 may open the instructions overlay from screen 505, and the“Done” button 507 d on screen 507 may save all photos that have beentaken to a memory of the mobile device and may return the user to themain photos screen 501. When the user selects the shutter button 507 ain screen 507, the mobile device may display screen 509 to indicate thata photo is being taken. In some aspects, all buttons on screen 509 maybe disabled after the user selects the shutter button 507 a.

FIG. 5b shows a second series of display screens displayed on a mobiledevice as a user takes photos of a damaged vehicle in accordance with atleast one aspect of the present disclosure. Screen 511 may allow a userto preview a photo that has been taken and take an appropriate action onthis photo. In particular, the user may select a “Discard” button 511 ato discard the photo or a “Use” button 511 b to use the photo for damageassessment and claims processing. Assuming that the user selects “Use”button 511 b, the user may proceed to take other photos within theselected photo type. When the user has taken all the photos of a givenphoto type, the user may select the “Done” button 513 a on screen 513.After selecting the “Done” button 513 a on screen 513, the mobile devicemay display screen 515, where thumbnail image(s) of the photo(s) thatthe user has already taken may be displayed in the correspondingcategories.

FIG. 6 shows a series of display screens displayed on a mobile devicefor enabling a user to delete photos that have already been taken inaccordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. Screen601 displays thumbnails of all photos that have already been taken. Whena user selects one of the thumbnails in screen 601, the mobile devicemay display screen 603, where a series of buttons may be displayed,including an additional options button 603 a for displaying additionaloptions associated with the current photo (e.g., email photo, use photoas wallpaper, etc.), a scroll to previous photo button 603 b forscrolling to the previously-viewed photo in the photo reel, a play photoreel button 603 c for sequentially displaying each photo in the photoreel, a scroll to next photo button 603 d for scrolling to the nextphoto in the reel, and a delete button 603 e for deleting thecurrently-viewed photo. If the user selects delete button 603 e, thephoto currently displayed may be queued for deletion and mobile devicemay display screen 605. Screen 605 includes an action panel with a“Delete Photo” button 605 a for confirming that the currently-viewedphoto is to be deleted and a “Cancel” button 605 b for cancellingdeletion of the currently-viewed photo. If the user selects “DeletePhoto” button 605 a, the currently-viewed photo is deleted and the nextphoto in the current category is displayed in screen 607. If the userselects a back button 607 a on screen 607, the user may back out toreturn to photos screen 609. Screen 609 may display the remainingthumbnails stored in a memory of the mobile device, with the image thatthe user deleted in screen 605 removed from the list of thumbnails.

FIG. 7 shows a series of display screens displayed on a mobile devicefor enabling a user to submit photos for review by an enhanced claimsprocessing server 101, in accordance with at least one aspect of thepresent disclosure. Screen 701 may include a “Submit Photos” button 701a for submitting photos to server 101 when all photos have been taken.When a user presses “Submit Photos” button 701 a, the mobile device maydisplay screen 703, which includes an action panel with the “SubmitPhotos” button 703 a for confirming that the captured photos are to besubmitted to server 101 and a “Cancel” button 703 b for cancelling thesubmission. If the user selects “Submit Photos” button 703 a, the mobiledevice may display screen 705 where an upload progress bar may indicatethe progress of the photo upload. Once the photos have been fullyuploaded, the mobile device may display screen 707, which indicates thatthe photos have been uploaded and explains any next steps that should betaken.

FIG. 8 shows a series of display screens displayed on a mobile devicefor enabling a user to receive feedback from an enhanced claimsprocessing server 101 regarding previously submitted photos, inaccordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. Whenenhanced claims processing server 101 completes review of the photossubmitted in FIG. 7, server 101 may transmit a notification to themobile device that feedback is ready for review. When the mobile devicereceives the notification, screen 801, which includes a notificationthat feedback is ready, may be displayed. When a user selects the “ViewNotification” button 801 a, the mobile device may display screen 803,which may include a detailed description of any feedback received fromserver 101. In this case, server 101 has transmitted a message that asksthe user to take additional photos (e.g., of the damage to the left sideof a bumper). Screen 803 may also include a “Take Photos” button 803 awhich may allow the user to take additional photos of the damagedvehicle. When the user presses “Take Photos” button 803 a, the mobiledevice may display screen 805 which allows the user to take more photosof the damaged vehicle (e.g., in response to the feedback received inscreen 803) using the same process depicted in FIGS. 5a and 5 b.

Once all required photos have been taken, the user may press the “SubmitPhotos” button 807 a in screen 807. to submit the photos taken viascreen 805 to enhanced claims processing server 101. When the userpresses the “Submit Photos” button 807 a in screen 807, the mobiledevice may display screen 809, which includes a progress bar that showsthe progress of the photo upload to server 101.

The foregoing descriptions of the disclosure have been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. They are not exhaustive and donot limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Modificationsand variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may beacquired from practicing of the disclosure. For example, the describedimplementation includes software but the present disclosure may beimplemented as a combination of hardware and software or in hardwarealone. Additionally, although aspects of the present disclosure aredescribed as being stored in memory, one skilled in the art willappreciate that these aspects can also be stored on other types ofcomputer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like harddisks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM; a carrier wave from the Internet orother propagation medium; or other forms of RAM or ROM.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: (a) receiving, at anenhanced claims processing server from a remote user device, a set ofdata corresponding to an insured item, wherein the set of data comprisesthree-dimensional images and three-dimensional video, and wherein theset of data comprises audio recorded by the remote user device; (b)generating image data using image processing and object recognition,wherein the image data comprises blur data, depth data, angle data, andidentified objects with their corresponding locations within each image;(c) determining, by the enhanced claims processing server and based onthe image data, whether each one of the set of data is acceptable foruse in a machine learning algorithm for determining a cost of repair forthe insured item; (d) based on determining that at least one of the setof data is not acceptable, transmitting a message, comprisinginstructions indicating how to capture images related to damage to theinsured item, to the remote user device, wherein the message causes theremote user device to display a user interface screen including feedbackregarding changes to be made to the set of data and a request to capturean additional image and a button that when pressed causes the remoteuser device to capture the additional image; (e) repeating steps (a)-(d)until determining, by the enhanced claims processing server, that all ofthe set of data are acceptable; and (f) analyzing, by the enhancedclaims processing server, the set of data to determine a damage estimatefor damage to the insured item, wherein determining the damage estimatecomprises: determining, based on the set of data and using machinelearning, damage information comprising a location of damage on theinsured item, an indication of severity of damage on the insured item,and an identification of parts required to fix the damage on the insureditem, wherein the indication of severity of damage of the insured itemis made using image processing and machine learning to classify dentsand determine depth of dents on the insured item, wherein the indicationof severity of damage of the insured item is further made using at leastone of stereoscopic techniques and three-dimensional video; determining,based on the damage information and using machine learning, whether anarea adjacent to the location of damage on the insured item will requirerefinishing; retrieving, based on the damage information and from adatabase storing a plurality of damage templates, a damage template thatindicates the damage of the insured item has been determined to beassociated with damage of a second insured item and that indicates atleast one of a predetermined estimated cost or a predetermined actualcost for repairing both the damage of the insured item and damage of thesecond insured item; and determining the damage estimate based on atleast one of the predetermined estimated cost, the predetermined actualcost indicated in the damage template, or the damage information; and(g) sending, to the remote user device, a settlement proposal forsettling an insurance claim associated with the damage to the insureditem.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: based on the damageestimate, determining, by the enhanced claims processing server, asettlement for settling an insurance claim associated with the damage tothe insured item.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving, at the enhanced claims processing server from a computingdevice, a notification detailing whether or not a settlement isacceptable.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: when thesettlement is not acceptable, initiating, by the enhanced claimsprocessing server, transmission of the settlement to a claims adjusterfor manual processing of the insurance claim.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising: when all of the set of data is acceptable, attachingthe set of data to an insurance claim in a database associated with theenhanced claims processing server.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thedamage estimate is further determined by comparing the set of data withother images from previously analyzed insured items with damage similarto the damage to the insured item.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thedamage estimate is determined by comparing the set of data with otherimage data from undamaged insured items similar to the insured item. 8.The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, from theenhanced claims processing server to a computing device, a list ofrecommended repair shops for repairing the damage to the insured item.9. The method of claim 1, wherein the insured item comprises a vehicleand further comprising: adjusting the damage estimate based on adifference between damage of the vehicle captured in the set of data andthe damage associated with the damage template obtained from thedatabase.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the insured item comprisesa home.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by theenhanced claims processing server, that all of the set of data areacceptable comprises: determining a vehicle identification numbercorresponding to the insured item.
 12. An apparatus comprising: one ormore processors; and memory storing instructions that when executed bythe one or more processors, cause the apparatus to: (a) receive, from aremote user device via a network, a set of data corresponding to aninsured item, wherein the set of data comprises three-dimensional imagesand three-dimensional video, and wherein the set of data comprises audiorecorded by the remote user device; (b) generate image data using imageprocessing and object recognition, wherein the image data comprises blurdata, depth data, angle data, and identified objects with theircorresponding locations within each image; (c) determine, based on theimage data, whether each one of the set of data is acceptable for use ina machine learning algorithm for determining a cost of repair for theinsured item; (d) based on determining that at least one of the set ofdata is not acceptable, transmit a message, comprising instructionsindicating how to capture images related to damage to the insured item,to the remote user device; (e) analyze the set of data to determine adamage estimate for damage to the insured item, wherein determining thedamage estimate comprises: determining, based on the set of data andusing machine learning, damage information comprising a location ofdamage on the insured item, an indication of severity of damage on theinsured item, and an identification of parts required to fix the damageon the insured item, wherein the indication of severity of damage of theinsured item is made using image processing and machine learning toclassify dents and determine depth of dents on the insured item, whereinthe indication of severity of damage of the insured item is further madeusing at least one of stereoscopic techniques and three-dimensionalvideo; determining, based on the damage information and using machinelearning, whether an area adjacent to the location of damage on theinsured item will require refinishing; retrieving, based on the damageinformation and from a database storing a plurality of damage templates,a damage template that indicates the damage of the insured item has beendetermined to be associated with damage of a second insured item andthat indicates at least one of a predetermined estimated cost or apredetermined actual cost for repairing both the damage of the insureditem and damage of the second insured item; and determining the damageestimate based on at least one of the predetermined estimated cost, thepredetermined actual cost indicated in the damage template, or thedamage information; and (f) send, to the remote user device via thenetwork, a settlement proposal for settling an insurance claimassociated with the damage to the insured item.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:determine, based on the damage estimate, a settlement for settling aninsurance claim associated with the damage to the insured item.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause theapparatus to: receive, from a computing device, a notification detailingwhether or not a settlement is acceptable.
 15. The apparatus of claim14, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: afterdetermining that the settlement is not acceptable, initiate transmissionof the settlement to a claims adjuster for manual processing of theinsurance claim.
 16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the insured itemcomprises a home.
 17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein thedetermining, based on the image data, whether each one of the set ofdata is acceptable comprises: determining a vehicle identificationnumber corresponding to the insured item.
 18. A system comprising: anapparatus comprising: one or more processors; and first memory storingfirst instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors ofthe apparatus, cause the apparatus to: receive, from a remote userdevice via a network, a set of images corresponding to an insured item;generate image data using image processing and object recognition,wherein the image data comprises blur data, depth data, angle data, andidentified objects with their corresponding locations within each image;determine, based on the image data, whether each one of the set ofimages is acceptable for use in a machine learning algorithm fordetermining a cost of repair for the insured item; based on determiningthat at least one of the set of images is not acceptable, transmit amessage, comprising instructions indicating how to capture imagesrelated to damage to the insured item, to the remote user device;analyze the set of images to determine a damage estimate for damage tothe insured item, wherein determining the damage estimate comprises:determining, based on the set of images and using machine learning,damage information comprising a location of damage on the insured item,an indication of severity of damage on the insured item, and anidentification of parts required to fix the damage on the insured item,wherein the indication of severity of damage of the insured item is madeusing image processing and machine learning to classify dents anddetermine depth of dents on the insured item, wherein the indication ofseverity of damage of the insured item is further made using at leastone of stereoscopic techniques and three-dimensional video; anddetermining the damage estimate based on the damage information; andsend, to the remote user device via the network, a settlement proposalfor settling an insurance claim associated with the damage to theinsured item; and a second device comprising: one or more processors;and second memory storing second instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors of the second device, cause the second device toreceive information from the apparatus.
 19. The system of claim 18,wherein the insured item comprises a vehicle.
 20. The system of claim18, wherein the insured item comprises a home.